Apple Beats Microsoft, IBM & Google in Brand Value – Forbes

Microsoft may have topped in quarterly financial results, released latest, but it’s Apple who finally emerged as a Leader in worldwide brand value. As per the Forbes magazine who recently released top 50 valuable brand list, Apple pushed back Microsoft, IBM and Google at second, fourth and fifth places subsequently. Coca-Cola, a non IT company, emerged as 3rd most valuable brand.

“This (Apple) is a company that has faced setbacks before and bounced back to become the world’s most valuable brand–worth $57.4 billion,” Forbes said, explaining the company’s number 1 position in its Top 50 world’s most valuable brands 2010 list.

While addressing the Apple’s success, Forbes said company (Apple) has a great potential in future and also showed a great passion even after having many ups and downs in past history. In 1990 Apple plummeted by 46% over a period of 5 years stretch while company lost money in 8 quarters in a row.

Among top 50 most valuable brands list, 30% positions has been secured by Tech companies. Financial services and food and beverage firms each captured six spots. Tech major Apple, which topped the list with $57.4 billion value, was followed by software major Microsoft with a brand value of $56.6 billion. Beverages firm, Coca Cola was third at $55.4 billion, followed by technology giant IBM, now worth $43 billion. Search engine Google was fifth in the ranking with $39.7 billion.

“The brands on our list fared a little better, with sales on average flat in 2009. Some brands were hit hard by the economic downturn as well as their own missteps,” the Forbes noted.